Western Wayne County
Fire Department Mutual Aid Association
  • March 28, 2024


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  • Farmington Hills will make tax request renewal for police, fire in November
    Posted On: Aug 230, 2021

    Farmington Hills will make tax request renewal for police, fire in November

    Shelby Tankersley
    Hometownlife.com
                                   Farmington Hills Police Officer Mike Conolly and communications specialist Angie Konwinski in the department's dispatch center.

    Farmington Hills' police and fire departments get about a third of their funding from two tax levies. 

    The city is asking voters to renew one of those collections in November. 

    On July 26, city council approved a Nov. 2 ballot proposal asking voters to enable the city to levy 1.7 mills for public safety for the next 10 years. If approved, the millage would generate $6.3 million in 2022.

    "Health, safety and welfare is what we're up here to do," Councilman Ken Massey said. "I think our citizens have enjoyed a very safe city, and this public safety question needs to be put on the ballot."

    A mill is $1 for every $1,000 in taxable value on a property. So, a homeowner with a house valued at $200,000 would pay about $170 in taxes a year for the public safety millage.

        Farmington Hills firefighter Stan Bailey prepares to take its Station 5 ambulance out of the bay. This ambulance costs the city about $265 thousand.

    This millage, which makes up 17% of the public safety budget and was first passed in 2011, will pay for operational costs like staffing and equipment. Should the millage not pass, both the fire and police departments would look at making staffing cuts. 

    "Our current staffing levels are supported solely by the 2011 millage," Fire Chief Jon Unruh said. 

    City Manager Gary Mekjian explained the millages helped supplement the departments since the state cut back on revenue sharing during the Great Recession. 

    "We’re still suffering from the lack of revenue sharing from the state, and we will be for many years," he said. 

    Both departments are facing higher call volumes — the fire department alone is on track to respond to 11,000 calls this year — with the same or similar staffing levels they had 10 years ago.

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                                   Farmington Hills Police Officer John Hammer prepares to head out on patrol on Aug. 5, 2021.

    Police Chief Jeff King said, despite stagnant staff numbers, Farmington Hills currently has "the lowest crime rates in our city’s history" and is routinely named one of the safest cities in Michigan. The chief added his department has also taken steps to be more transparent and treat mental health calls like true health calls — something the fire department helps with — in recent years. 

    "By 2025, our entire executive and command staff can retire," King said. "So, we need to be focusing on succession and staff development moving forward."

    Unruh and King said, should the millage fail, they'll look to put it before voters again next year. 

    The city's other public safety millage will be up for renewal in 2025. That millage brings in 15% of the departments' funding.

    In November, Farmington Hills residents will also choose a mayor and three council members

                                   Farmington Hills Station Five's ladder vehicle - which cost the department more than one million dollars.
    Contact reporter Shelby Tankersley at stankersle@hometownlife.com or 248-305-0448. Follow her on Twitter @shelby_tankk.
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